The tympanic cavity is a small cavity surrounding the bones

Ossicles

The ossicles are the three smallest bones in the human body. They are contained within the middle ear space and serve to transmit sounds from the air to the fluid-filled labyrinth . The absence of the auditory ossicles would constitute a moderate-to-severe hearing loss...

 of the middle ear

Middle ear

The middle ear is the portion of the ear internal to the eardrum, and external to the oval window of the cochlea. The mammalian middle ear contains three ossicles, which couple vibration of the eardrum into waves in the fluid and membranes of the inner ear. The hollow space of the middle ear has...

.

It is formed from the tubotympanic recess, an expansion of the first pharyngeal pouch.

On its lateral surface, it abuts the external auditory meatus from which it is separated by the tympanic membrane (eardrum).

Clinical significance

If damaged, the tympanic membrane can be repaired in a procedure called tympanoplasty

Tympanoplasty

Tympanoplasty is the surgical operation performed for the reconstruction of the eardrum and/or the small bones of the middle ear .-Classification:...

.

Should fluid accumulate within the middle ear as the result of infection or for some other reason, it can be drained by puncturing the tympanic membrane with a small bore needle (tympanocentesis

Tympanocentesis

Tympanocentesis is the drainage of fluid from the middle ear by using a small-gauge needle to puncture the tympanic membrane, also known as the eardrum....

).

External links

• http://www.dartmouth.edu/~humananatomy/figures/chapter_44/44-5.HTM